


Cherokee Rose

by MsAmburrito



Category: The Walking Dead RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 07:44:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsAmburrito/pseuds/MsAmburrito
Summary: Norman is involved in a motorcycle accident and is taken to hospital. Melissa aids him in his recovery.





	Cherokee Rose

Melissa was lounging on her couch at home, watching t.v., when she heard the familiar tones of, "This just in...." coming from the voice of the reporter onscreen.

"The star of _AMC's__ The Walking Dead_, Norman Reedus, was involved in a motorcycle accident earlier this afternoon. He was taken to hospital in critical condition. We will have more on this story as it unfolds." Melissa turned off the t.v. and stared at the screen. Norman? _Her_ Norman? Panic rose in her chest as she reached for her phone, realizing she hadn't heard from him all day. She thought it had been odd, since he's usually texting her every few hours. As she suspected though, he didn't answer her call. Melissa ran down the hall in a frantic pursuit for her car keys and the sound of the phone ringing startled her, making them fall from her hand. They clattered to the floor with a little _ding._ This time it was Andy, calling from England. She didn't mind the long distance charge because it was him, after all. 

"Hey, you." She answered.

"Have you heard about Norman?" His voice asked in concern.

Melissa felt a lump form in her throat as she tried to answer. "Y-Yes." She paused, realizing she doesn't even know which hospital he was taken to. "Do you know where he is?"

"I spoke to his mother and she said Good Samaritan Hospital. I wish I could fly down, but I've got this movie to film...." he sighed. "Are you going to see him?"

"Of course. I'm on my way now." She patted her dog, Lincoln, on his head and walked out the door. 

"Let me know how he is, okay? And maybe I can find a way to get down there."

"I will. And thanks, Andy." Hanging up the phone, she pulled out of the driveway. 

* * *

Rain started to pour as she sped down the road. Images kept popping up in her head of Norman sprawled out on the pavement, blood everywhere....she really didn't know how serious it was, but the reporter did say it was critical. "Please be okay," she whispered to herself. Ten minutes later, she arrived at the hospital. After finding a decent spot to park, she ran towards the door, covering her hair with her purse. 

"I need to see Norman Reedus!" She exclaimed to the nurse behind the reception desk. 

"And you are?" The woman had a mixture of concern and annoyance on her face. 

"Uh, I'm a friend. Can you just tell me what room he's in?"

"Mr. Reedus was taken into surgery an hour ago. You'll have to wait for him here."

"Is he okay? Is he gonna be alright?" Melissa grilled the nurse, panicking once more. 

"Calm down, he's gonna be fine. It says here he had some internal bleeding and a minor head injury. Considering the circumstances, it could have been a lot worse." 

Melissa gave a small sigh of relief, and collapsed into one of the chairs. "Oh, thank god."

At that moment, Norman's mother walked into the room. "Melissa!" she called out. Melissa looked up and saw Marianne walking towards her. The two women shared a hug and sat down. 

"How are you?" Melissa asked the older woman, with concern in her eyes. 

"I'm alright, considering. I've always told Norman that motorcycles were a bad idea." Marianne sighed, thinking about her son.

"Yeah, I used to get so nervous when he would take me for rides." Melissa replied. She thought about the first time she and Norman were on a motorcycle on the set of _The Walking Dead_. It was terrifying yet exhilarating. She could understand why Norman loved them so much. Plus, it didn't hurt to have her arms tightly wrapped around his waist. She remembered he smelled so good, too....then stopped herself from thinking any further, as she started to feel her face flush. 

"I wonder how long he'll be...." Norman's mother's voice trailed off as she scanned the room, looking for any doctor who could answer her question. Melissa also wondered and decided to give Andrew a call to let him know he will be alright. After a brief conversation updating him on Norman's current condition, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Both her and Marianne turned around to see a man in a white lab coat standing behind them. It was Norman's doctor.

"He's out of surgery, and he's going to be fine. You can see him now, but I will warn you he is recovering so be quiet and gentle in your approach."

"Thank you, Doctor." Norman's mother gave him a hug, and pulled Melissa down the hallway towards the recovery room.

* * *

The light from the room spilled out through the crack in the doorway. Marianne walked through first, followed by a nervous Melissa. Norman had his eyes shut as he lay on the bed, an I.V. hanging from his hand. His head was wrapped in a bandage and one of his arms was in a cast. Melissa's heart almost broke looking at her friend in such a state. She pulled up a chair by his bedside and grabbed his hand. It was almost an impulse. She didn't notice his mother standing back, watching them. Marianne smiled as she observed Melissa staring at Norman. _She really does love him. Even if she doesn't know it, yet._

Suddenly, Norman's eyes started to open. He felt a soft grip on his hand and looked down. He knew those fingers. "Mel?" he asked, quietly. Melissa smiled when she heard his voice. "Hey, Norman, you're going to be okay." She told him. 

"What happened?" he asked, touching his head.

"You crashed your motorcycle, honey." His mom stepped towards the other side of the bed, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. 

"Aw, man...." Norman groaned. "How bad is it?"

"You hit your head pretty hard, and you were in surgery."

"No, not me. How's my bike?"

Melissa smirked. Of course that would be all he cared about. "I'm sure nothing a little elbow grease and thousands of dollars can't fix." she teased. Norman groaned again, and felt a sharp pain in his side. He also noticed his arm had been broken. It had been a long time since he was in the hospital, let alone seriously injured. 

"Everyone's so worried about you." Melissa told him then added, "Andy called."

"Where is he?" Norman asked, looking around for his friend.

"He's in England filming for a movie."

"What an ass. Can't even come see me when I get a boo boo." Norman pouted, giving Melissa the biggest puppy dog eyes she'd ever seen. 

"Poor Pookie. But I'm here." She winked at him. 

"Well, it looks like you're in good hands." Marianne told the pair. "I need to head home to get some rest. I've been here for hours." She gave Norman a gentle hug and another kiss on the cheek before heading out. "Thanks, mom." 

Norman and Melissa sat in silence for a few moments, just looking at each other. Finally she spoke.

* * *

"I thought I was going to lose you..." Melissa whispered, gently climbing onto the bed and lying her head on his chest. He took a deep breath in, which was quite painful but he ignored it. 

"I'm still here." Norman reassured her. 

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?"

"I promise....." He said, while starting to drift off again. Melissa soon fell asleep as well. When she woke up a couple hours later, she was confused as to where she was. But the sound of Norman's snores reminded her of the events of the day. She gazed up at him and gave a little smile. He looked so cute, with his hair flipped up on one side. His snoring got louder so she poked his cheek in an effort to wake him up. He didn't respond so she kept on poking him until he grumbled in his 'Daryl' voice, "Stop it." Melissa giggled.

"Good morning." 

"Why were you poking me? I'm already injured, you should be taking care of me." He gave her a sly smile. 

"You were snoring. You're lucky I didn't punch you in the arm." Just then, the doctor walked inside. 

"How are you feeling?" He gave Norman a quick check up. 

"Fine, I guess. When can i go home?"

"Well, you seem to be recovering fine. You can go home tonight. As long as you have someone looking after you."

Before she knew what was happening, Norman volunteered her for the job. "Are you sure? What about your mom?" she asked him. 

"I can't see my mom in a sexy nurse's outfit." he teased. Melissa playfully-but still gently-slapped him in his non-broken arm.

"It's settled then. I'll have the nurse check you out." The doctor left, wondering whether that woman was Norman's girlfriend.

* * *

After a short drive to Norman's house, Melissa got him settled into his bed with his cat by his side. 

"Now, I want you to get lots of rest and don't worry about work. Everything is covered." She told him as she went to open the door to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to be downstairs in the living room."

"Stay with me." He had an innocence to his voice, almost childlike. Like he was scared. Melissa smiled at him and slowly walked back towards the bed. 

"Alright. But I'm not dressing up like a nurse."

"That's too bad." He winked at her. He was so sexy when he did that. She shook those thoughts from her head. 

"How about some t.v.?" She grabbed the remote from the nightstand and turned it on. Instantly there was a naked couple moaning in pleasure on the screen. "Really, Norman?" she asked, but wasn't actually surprised. She turned it back off.

"What?" Norman asked, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about. She shook her head and laughed. He loved the sound of her laughter, and the way her eyes lit up. In fact, he loved everything about her. Her eyes were sparkling blue, like the sea after a storm. So beautiful. It made his heart, and his groin, ache. He wanted her more than anything. But he also respected their friendship and if she didn't feel the same, then he didn't want to lose that. Norman saw her looking at him curiously. 

"Anything wrong?" she asked. "Are you feeling okay?" Melissa touched his forehead to see if he had a fever. Nothing. That was a relief. 

"I was just thinking about how pretty your eyes are."

Now it was her turn to quote the line from the show. "Stop it." It still made her blush, furiously. "I'm sure you're just hopped up on painkillers." She fluffed his pillow. 

"What if I had died?" Norman asked, looking into her eyes. Melissa paused to think. What _if_ that had happened? He would have been gone, without knowing her true feelings for him. She barely even knew, having always denied it when people asked, or pushing thoughts of him from her head. Should she tell him now? Finally admit it? 

"Norman, I..."

Suddenly, Norman's body began to shake convulsively. His eyes rolled up into his head, and saliva started to spill out into the corner of his mouth. Melissa didn't know what was happening. He was fine all day and now....she grabbed her phone and called 911. When she looked back at him, he wasn't moving. Her heart felt like it had exploded into millions of pieces and her mouth went dry. Tears rolled down her face and she began to scream as paramedics arrived and checked on his lifeless body. When they wheeled him out, she finally got the courage to say what had been on her mind for years. "I love you."


End file.
